President-elect Donald Trump’s character, immigration insurance policies and the economic system has many Chicago-area voters feeling apprehensive or excited — relying which approach they voted — about his second time period that begins Monday.
The Solar-Occasions requested Chicago-area voters how they really feel about Trump’s return to the White Home, and their ideas about what might occur throughout his administration’s first 100 days. What do they need him to do? What worries them about what he might do throughout that interval? Right here’s how some voters responded:
Stephen Kaim, 60, IT challenge supervisor, of Schorsch Village: Voted for Trump
First-time Trump voter Stephen Kaim is “cautiously optimistic” in regards to the Republican’s second time in workplace.
Kaim desires to see the brand new administration deal with undocumented immigrants who cross the southern border and commit crimes within the U.S., however he doesn’t help Trump’s mass deportation plan.
“I really feel that the second time round, possibly he’ll do a greater job,” Kaim stated. “I’m not going to agree with every part he does, however I’m going to help him, identical to I help each president, and we’ll see the place it goes.”
Jacqueline Doty, 50, state of Illinois worker, of Pullman: Voted towards Trump
Jacqueline Doty worries that Trump will proceed focusing on variety, fairness and inclusion initiatives throughout the authorities and can encourage firms to desert their very own variety efforts.
“A variety of firms now are instantly eradicating DEI initiatives, and I really feel like that pertains to him turning into president.” Doty stated. “As an African American girl, I’m involved with how that’s going to influence the African American group.”
She’s anxious Trump will proceed pursuing insurance policies that hurt girls, as he did in his first time period. She’s involved that he’ll bitter U.S. relationships with different international locations and can spike inflation due to his “love of tariffs.” And he or she needs the divisiveness amongst Individuals would reduce, however she’s not optimistic.
“Is he going to be extra divisive as a president?” She stated. “I’m involved in regards to the divisiveness of this nation, the route of this nation.”
Larry Craig, 75, retired greater training administrator, of Wilmette: Voted for Trump
Controlling the southern border and chopping authorities spending are the highest priorities Larry Craig wish to see Trump deal with as quickly as potential.
He acknowledged “quite a lot of good individuals” immigrate to the U.S., however he hopes for a safer course of that apprehends those that enter the nation with legal intentions.
“You will have doorways in your home, you could have locks in your doorways, you could have fences round your yard. Nations, you don’t let simply anyone stroll in,” Craig stated. “You don’t suppose our enemies won’t ship someone into this open border like that?”
Liz Reyes, 58, social employee and librarian, of Riverside: Voted towards Trump
Trump’s menace to make Chicago “floor zero” for his speedy mass deportation plan terrifies Liz Reyes essentially the most.
She’s involved that it might result in the federal government and employers exploiting individuals and utilizing scare techniques.
“I simply take into consideration people who’re possibly working, and I simply suppose it’s simple for unscrupulous employers to benefit from individuals, and use calling someone to come back deport you as like this new weapon that’s going for use towards individuals which are in all probability already, you understand, struggling and susceptible, and doing their greatest to get by.”
Peter Li, 61, researcher at Rush College Medical Middle, of Little Italy: Voted for Trump
After voting for Joe Biden 4 years in the past, Peter Li determined to help Trump this election. He hopes Trump fosters a greater relationship between the U.S. and China.
“These are two highly effective international locations that needs to be cooperating and that will be higher for your complete world,” he stated.
Li used to have the ability to go to China yearly earlier than the pandemic. Now, he says he’s fortunate if he can go to each 4 years as a result of there are few flights obtainable. He hopes Trump will encourage extra Individuals to go to China and for extra Chinese language residents to go to the U.S.
“That will likely be higher for each international locations, it’ll assist tourism and drive the economic system,” Li stated.
Dennis Glover, 63, retired police officer, Pullman: Voted towards Trump
Dennis Glover hopes Trump’s first 100 days received’t be as controversial as his first time period.
“You may’t be afraid of him,” Glover stated. “Hopefully there are safeguards that can shield us. However I’m not going to fret about what the chances could be, I’m simply going to attend and see. We survived the final one and realized from it. Plus, it’s too late to be nervous.”
Glover stated he would really like for Trump to set time period limits for members of the Supreme Court docket and Congress.
“No matter their celebration, I feel they keep there too lengthy,” he stated.
Clark Eichman, 53, police sergeant, Norwood Park: Voted for Trump
Clark Eichman voted for Trump as a result of he’s not a profession politician.
He desires Trump to concentrate on America first, relatively than international relations. He additionally hopes Trump can forge a greater relationship with Illinois, and make a optimistic influence that leads voters within the state to show Republican by the subsequent election.
“4 years of Trump with some success, possibly we lastly break the Democrat stranglehold on Illinois, as a result of if it doesn’t, then I’m going to depart — and I’m not the one one.”
Kevin McGrath, 36, statistician, Andersonville: Voted towards Trump
Kevin McGrath fears for these probably affected by Trump’s menace of speedy mass deportation, particularly individuals in Chicago.
He’s additionally nervous about Trump reclassifying some federal staff to provide the chief department extra discretion in hiring and firing staff, resulting in “totalitarian impulses.”
“The longer that continues, the much less reputable our authorities is,” McGrath stated. “It loses the very fundamental basis of the social contract. Trump may not do it, however I feel that if we proceed down the trail that Trump appears to be strolling, there isn’t going to be a lot of a civic cloth left for this nation.”
